2011-02-21

Klinker Brick Old Ghost Zinfandel

This is by no means a Trader Joe's cheap wine. It's not even sold at Trader Joe's. However, it is one of my recent discoveries, and I enjoy drinking it a lot, so I thought I would feature it here.

The Old Ghost hails from Lodi, about two hours north-east from where I live, where the Klinker Brick winery is located. They only make three wines, two zins and one syrah. Didn't get a chance to try the syrah yet, but both zinfandels are very very enjoyable.

I first discovered Klinker Brick Old Vine at a wine bar in Palo Alto back in 2009. I was hanging out with my friend the Urban Astronomer, and the bartender has suggested this wine when I asked for a big spicy red. What a great suggestion!

I have been enjoying the Old Vine for a year before I got a change to try the Old Ghost, which turned out to be another level of great altogether. I need to go get a couple more bottles next time I'm out buying wine.

Here's what it says about the wine on the web site:The 2008 Old Ghost is a blend of two old vine zinfandel vineyards, 89 and 98 years old. Yields were lower in 2008 than the previous vintage and well under one ton per acre. The wine has exotic spices of cardamom and black pepper on the nose, infused with bright, black cherry fruit. On the palate, it is rich, round and full-bodied with flavors of brambleberry and chocolate covered cherries yielding to a long and lingering finish.